1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to file sharing and more particularly to the use of dynamic links for secure and efficient file sharing over the Internet.
2. Description of Related Art
Many businesses offer file sharing over the World Wide Web on the Internet (“the Internet”). For example, there are businesses operating web sites that allow people to share their photos with friends and loved ones over the Internet. Typically, a user uploads his or her image files to a web server. The web server stores the image files in a directory in a local hard drive.
To control access to the image files, the web server uses directories with long and static directory names that are chosen in no recognizable order. For example, a web server assigned to the domain name of “www.sharephoto.com” saves an image file named “myphoto.jpg” in a directory randomly named “14987478.” Thus, one must know the entire path of “www.sharephoto.com/14987478/myphotog.jpg” to access the image file “myphoto.jpg” on the web server. The web server provides the long directory name to the user that has the correct login ID and password.
The above system is subject to brute force attacks. An unauthorized user can try various directory and file names to eventually gain access to the files. Once the directory and file names are discovered, anyone can use them to repeatedly gain access to the files because the directory and file names are static (e.g., do not change). Furthermore, the above system is difficult to back up because the directory names are chosen in no recognizable order. Thus, meticulous records of the files and directories must be kept and sophisticated methods used to back up the web server. Accordingly, a system that protects Internet file sharing and uses a simple back up method is needed.